Be Yourself
by MzShellSan
Summary: Ed hates these kinds of events but he's trying his best not to embarrass Roy. And Roy? Well, he just wants Ed to be himself. Written for my FicMas event and dedicated to vampiricalthorns.


**25 Days of FicMas**

**Day:** Seventeen

**Dedication: **VampiricalThorns

**Fandom: **Fullmetal Alchemist

**Pairing: **RoyEd

**Disclaimer: **I do not own FMA

**Be Yourself**

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Ed fought hard not to let his irritation show as the lady in front of him continued to prattle on about something that he couldn't recall. She'd been going on about it for about fifteen minutes now and he had forgotten the subject in question about thirty seconds in and since had been standing there just nodding along and making the appropriate noises.

Spotting Roy off to the side of the room schmoozing some schmuck, he smiled at the lady politely. "Definitely. I would love to talk more but I just spotted our Fuhrer and I do believe that he owes me some information so I'll have to be off before he gets caught up in too much conversation," he excused.

It was bullshit of course. He had nothing in particular he needed to talk with Roy about but if he had to stay with that lady for even another second he was going to do something decidedly _rude_.

And he'd been trying very hard for Roy's sake to be the nicer version of himself. Thus far he had only managed to piss of three people which he thought was quite an accomplishment.

Bee-lining for Roy, he slipped next to his lover with an innocent smile to the two older men that he was talking to.

"Fullmetal, how nice of you to join us. We were just discussing you actually," Roy mentioned casually. He was smiling but Ed could spot the subtle smirk tugging at the corner and the amusement in the bastards eyes anywhere.

"Should I leave then so you can continue to gossip about me like school girls?" he snorted, raising an eyebrow when the two men with Roy let out offended noises.

What a bunch of prats.

"We weren't gossiping at all. I prefer to leave that to my wife – you understand?" One of the men joked. The other and Roy both laughed like it was some hilarious but Ed couldn't help the crease in his eyebrow.

He didn't understand; how could he? Plenty of men gossiped for one – the sexism was ridiculous really, and secondly? He very much didn't understand having a wife that loved to gossip – or a significant other who liked to gossip for that matter. He worked with cold hard facts and whenever he was speaking with Roy the other man did the same thing.

Rumours were baseless and only useful in terms of investigation. Why would he waste his precious spare time on that?

As if sensing the rant that was very quickly building in Ed's mind, Roy smiled at the other men. "I'm afraid I'll need to leave you for a moment. It's unlikely that the fullmetal alchemist is over here just to listen to us talk about him."

Ed snorted. "Definitely. I need to talk to you about something for a moment if you can spare it."

Roy quirked a smirk at the faux politeness; mirth shining in his eyes. "How could I ever say no the people's hero?"

Snapping, Ed couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Oh come off it, Mustang. Fucking hell, you know I hate that shit," he grumbled. He steadily ignored the blinks of surprise for his change in demeanour and the way the the older men seemed to be waiting for Roy to reprimand him.

Instead he just chuckled and shook his head in exasperation.

Bastard.

Grabbing his hand, he dragged Roy off without another word; completely uncaring of any looks that were being thrown his way now.

"And here I thought you were going to behave tonight," Roy teased.

Scoffing, Ed released his lover's hand and turned to give him a deadpan look. "I have behaved. Too fucking much if you ask me. God, I hate this shit. I feel fake as fuck," he grumbled.

Sympathy shone in Roy's eyes and Ed turned his eyes away from it.

"You don't have to be fake Ed. I appreciate your efforts to try and be polite and what-not tonight, but I rather think there's something charming about how crass you can be."

Snorting, Ed huffed; arms coming up to cross in front of his chest. "Now you're just sweet talking me."

Shaking his head, Roy sighed. "Look at me Ed?"

Helpless against that request, Ed raised his head to look his lover in the eyes. "What?"

"I promise you I'm telling the truth. Please don't feel like you ever need to be fake just for my sake because I don't ever want you to feel pressured," Roy informed him firmly before quirking his lips. "After all, you never bothered in the military – why bother starting now?"

Ed bit his lip, hating the vulnerability he was feeling in this moment. "I just don't want to cause you problems." And make you leave. It was unsaid but Roy could tell – he always could.

God he was such a _bastard_.

"Ed, you've never not caused me problems. Don't start worry about them now," Roy teased.

It was ruthless but it was the truth and it made Ed feel much better then some empty platitiudes about him 'never being a problem'. Fuck that shit. He_ knew _he caused problems. Being told that was okay though?

Well.

"Fine but you're going to regret that decision," Ed warned.

The exasperated fondness in Roy's eyes was almost too much for him to handle but Ed forced himself not to look away this time.

"I won't."

He sounded so _sure_, so _positive_; like it wasn't possible at all.

And Ed couldn't help but believe it – believe him.

Unbelievable.

What a fucking bastard.


End file.
